Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1887-04-01
sHERMANS HUNT FOR VOTES.

SHERAAN'S HUNT FOR VOTES.
John Sherman went South to open his
campaign for the Republican nomination.
Nashville was well chosen as the point from
which 10 address those sections Of the South
most inclined to relieve whiskey and TO-
bacco from taxation and To rely on Federal
taxation for the development of their mineral
wealth, for the education Of their people and
for the protection" Of their Industries His
speech was of course an elaborate plea for
the continuation of our war tariff, and like
all of Jehn Sherman's speeches it was full
of half truths, and of adrsit evasions and
suppressiens of the whole truth.
Asserting that we never had the benefit
of an effective tariff protection until 1861,
he proceeded to attribute all the subsequent
increase Of manufactures and trade in this
country to the Republican party's tariff
policy. He credited none Of it to the natural
causes which had previously, and without
the aid of the Republican party, perfected
the mighty industrial basis of which the
subsequent increase is but the normal
expansion and outgrowth. He made ne
attempt To refute the proof that the
growth he beasted of was in spite of and
not in consequence of the war tariff. He
did not tell US of the monopolies it had up
held and Of the industries it had depressed
with tax-burdens. He said nothing Of the
long periods Of industrial ana commercial
stagnation az disaster II hsd produced.
He SAID nothing Of the greatest ocean carry
ing trade in the world which it has destroy
ed, forcing US to send our exports abroad in
foreign ships
And yet while pleading for and justify
ing the perpetuation Of this tariff, which
wrings from the people SO many millions of
dollars in taxes the government does not
need, and which transfers so many millions
mere from the pockets of the workingman
to the evergrown bank account Of the mil
lionaire monopolist, Mr.. Sherman had the
alone responsible for the failure of Congress
to reduce the surplus. When it was pro-
posed to reduce the surplus by reducing
taxation, the only legitimate way, motion
TO 60 into the consideration Of the subject
was defeated in June, 1886, by the votes OIL
1872 Republicans and 80 Democrats, and the
following December by the votes Of 129 Re.
publicans and % Democrats.
Mr. Shermans's method of reducing the
surplus, as he stated to the people Of Ten
nessee, was by appropriating the money Il
relieve them from local school taxes, and t.
improve the navigation of such streams a
the Cumberland and Tennessee rivers. Hi
speech was simply an effer of money TO
votes, and the money offered was not his
but hard-earned dollars wrung from labor.
hand by ring legislation.
If the Democratic party is TO be heater
because it did net succeed at the late session
Of Congress in reducing taxation, AID il
settling some of the vexsd questions rela
tive 10 the silver and greenback currency
then it cannot he said that the Republican
zatisn not only left these troublesome lega
cies TO its successor in authority, but it ha
refused even to suggest remedy for its owl
mistakes and follies.
1t would be refreshing to see man VIII
enjoys the reputation of being Statesman
rise above mere party pickering oncs 1
while whea he comes to discuss topic
(Which vitality conevrn the whole people
In the way Of accomplishing anything rela
tive to the subjects spoken Of by Mr. Shei
man neither party can claim any precedenc
over the other. In the matter Of attsmptin
10 do something and of offering plausibl
solution of the difficulties the Democrat
have more to boast of than the Republican
They have tried 10 do something. The RI
pubicans never have tried to do anything
SO far as they have spoken at all they ha'
insisted that the finances should be let alon
and that the man who would reduce tax
ton was an enemy Of the country.